Bush arrives at school in Lower 9

President Bush, in town to help commemorate the second anniversary of the worst engineering disaster to befall the nation, has arrived at the Martin Luther King Jr. Charter School for Science and Technology in the Lower 9th Ward.

He is accompanied by first lady Laura Bush and Gov. Kathleen Blanco. Also in attendance are federal recovery cheif Don Powell, recently-indicted U.S. Rep. William Jefferson, state education superintendent Paul Pastorek, Recovery School District superintendent Paul Vallas, and Catholic Schools superintendent Sr. Kathleen Finnerty.

Bush will meet with Louisiana education officials until about 9:20 a.m.

At 9:38 a.m., the moment after the fatal breach in the 17th Street Canal floodwall that flooded the center of the city, the president is expected to call for a moment of silence. After that, Bush is expected to speak about New Orleans rebuilding efforts in general and may take a tour of two classrooms.

From there, Bush will head to Bay St. Louis, Miss, to meet with Gov. Haley Barbour, where he will be briefed on that state's rebuilding efforts and will make a Mississippi-specific statement.

Earlier this morning, Blanco said she asked the president at dinner last night for the $3 billion to $4 billion the state wants the federal government to send to make the Road Home homeowner relief program solvent. He did not commit to additional funding, she said.